FOUR dealers at the heart of a London-based drug gang which sold class A drugs on the streets of Bournemouth have been jailed.

Three men, Shahed Nowaz, 23, Reece Britt, 25, and Sion Jennings, 19, and one woman, 44-year-old Sandra Da Conceicao, were part of a so-called 'county lines' drug dealing gang.

The men used a single mobile phone line to send blanket text messages to potential customers in Bournemouth.

Britt and Jennings were also seen by police dealing drugs from a Hyundai Tucson over the course of several days. When the pair were arrested on December 15 2017, packages of crack cocaine and heroin were found in the car.

More than £1,000 in cash was also found in the glovebox.

The packages were tested, and both men's DNA was found on the drugs. Nowaz's DNA was also discovered.

The total value of the drugs found in the car was more than £2,500.

Jennings was also found to be hiding wraps of heroin when he was strip-searched by police.

After Nowaz was arrested on January 30, police searched two London addresses. The officers found a large amount of cash in a drawer, as well as 'burner' phones, a hydraulic press, a haul of class A drugs and dealer lists.

The value of the drugs found at the addresses was around £5,000.

Da Conceicao, who was arrested on the same day as Nowaz, had allowed her property to be used as a 'stash house'.

The men used the property to prepare the drugs before taking them into Bournemouth.

This week, Nowaz, of Vine Close, Hackney, Britt, of Hollydown Way, London, Jennings, of Wiltshire Gardens, Harringay and Da Conceicao, of Arcola Street, Hackney, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Nowaz, who was thought to have played the principle role, was jailed for seven years. Britt was sentenced to five years in prison, Jennings was handed a sentence of two years and eight months and Da Conceicao was imprisoned for two years.

Detective Constable Will Pearce, of Dorset Police's Serious Organised Crime Investigation Team, said: "This conviction follows a detailed investigation by Dorset Police, building a very strong case against all four individuals and putting them before the courts.

"We simply will not tolerate drug gangs dealing in the county. We will continue to disrupt these gangs and are committed to protecting vulnerable people who are often coerced into involvement.

"We also have strong links with neighbouring police forces and the Regional Organised Crime Unit to share intelligence and best practice to tackle those operating in our area.

“County lines are operated by individuals or groups who use mobile phones to branch out their drug-dealing network into new locations away from their home. A county line set up will almost always involve exploitation of vulnerable people including children.

“Cuckooing takes place when criminals target the homes of vulnerable people for the purposes of drug dealing. Victims are often offered incentives for this, but realistically they are left with little choice but to co-operate.

“Initially dealers may approach the vulnerable person offering free drugs; however, this may progress to threats of violence and the victim being made to pay off drug debts by use of their home and sometimes assisting the drug dealing.

“Dorset Police’s objectives are to safeguard vulnerable victims firstly. The next stage is to disrupt drug supply and arrest and prosecute offenders.

“We need information from residents in areas where drug dealing is clearly taking place so we can take action, especially from neighbours who see increased visitors to an address and evidence of drug use in public places.”